Electric Zoo Festival Canceled Following Two Fatalities

According to Billboard, the final day of the three-day Electric Zoo Festival was canceled by the New York City government due to two fatalities that occurred this weekend. Along with that, four concertgoers became critically ill and were placed in critical care units in area hospitals. The city claimed the deaths were due to the involvement of drugs. More specifically Ecstasy or Molly.

“Due to serious health risks, the Electric Zoo music festival on Randall’s Island on Sunday, September 1st has been cancelled. The City recommended cancellation and the event promoters have agreed.”

“During the first two days of the Electric Zoo music festival, two concert-goers have died and at least four others became critically ill and have been placed in intensive care at area hospitals. Definitive causes of death have not yet been determined, however, both appear to have involved the drug MDMA (ecstasy, or molly). The Electric Zoo organizers have worked with City officials to reduce health risks at this event, but in view of these occurrences, the safest course is to cancel the remaining day of the event.”

In a statement on the Electric Zoo website, promoters issued the following graphic:

This is such sad news. Why is this happening? This is the third festival in recent years that was shut down due to drug related deaths. Is this drug use part of the “scene” that comes with electronic and dubstep music? Is this what happens when kids want to “experience” something different when they’re listening to music? Why do we need drugs to alter things for us and for us to enjoy life? Where is the security? Where are the people looking after these kids who are overdosing on drugs?

According to Billboard, there isn’t much that can be done about the drug use. They write, “No amount of security personnel, barricades, et cetera could prevent something like this. Unfortunately, however, ecstasy and other drugs have become the culture of some of these festivals.”

Such sad news. Our thoughts are with those affected by these fatalities.